Headrest



Sept 1, 1931. A. J. MAY 1,821,560

HEADREST Filed Feb. 23, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTQR BY W W %i5 ATTOR Y5 A. J. MAY

HEADREST Sept. 1, 1931.

Filed Feb. 25, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR YM.

1' ATTO Y5 Patented Sept. 1, 1931 NITED STATES ADAM J. MAY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO BITTER DENTAL MANUFAC- TUBING COMPANY, INC., ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE HEADBEST Application filed February 28, 1929. Serial No. 842,282.

The present invention relates to head rests of the class, forexample, for use with chairs or other articles of furniture and more particularly with dentist chairs, one

object of the invention being to produce a practical and efiicient head rest structure which can be quickly and conveniently adjusted to various ositions and securely clamped in such positions. I

A further object is to provide a head rest embodying a plurality of adjustably connected supporting sections arranged both for universal movement and for an independent movement and having means serving to hold them against umversal move ment during independent movement, and

further to provide holdin means for one or more of the sections desi ned to indicate when the sections are in di erent positions of adjustment.

A further object of the invention is to provide a head rest supporting structure embodying adjustable sections having improved means for clamping the sections in 26 different positions of adjustment.

Another objectof the invention is to provide a head rest supporting structure embodying adjustable sections with improved means for holding or locking the sections in adjusted position arranged to be manually released before the sections can be adjusted one upon another.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for indicating when the sections are in predetermined positions of adjustment.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a head rest structure of the class described with an improved adjustable arm rest for steadying and supporting the arm of the dentist while operating upon or treating the patient.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the, end of the specification.

In the drawings: I

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a supporting structure embodying adjustable sections, with means for clamping and indicating the relative positions of the sections;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation drawn to an enlarged scale taken on line 312-30 of Fig. 2 and showing the clamping means for the sections released with the detents acting to hold the sections in predetermined positions of adjustment.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional elevation showing the upper head rest section swung from normal or standard position with the holding detent therefor in release position;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed section taken through one" of the ball and socket joints showing a locking detent for preventing movement of one of the sections upon another in a predetermined direction while permitting it more in a different direction;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken on line (ta-6a of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional elevation illustrating the manner of releasably supporting an arm rest on the upper section of the supporting structure Fig. 8 is a similar view with the arm rest swung to release position.

Fig. 9 is a view of the arm rest proper shown detached with the hinged sections thereof in open position;

Fig. 10 is a transverse section taken on line 10w-10a of Fig. 2;

Fig. 11' is a transverse section taken on line 11a--11a of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the arm rest spindle.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

The embodiment of the invention herein disclosed by way of illustration of the principles involved comprisesv a supporting structure suitable for use with dentist or other types of chairs embodying a plurality of sections adapted for attachment to a portion of the chair and being relatively adjustable to the different positions required in use. The base section is preferably in the form of a bracket comprising a platelike body portion adapted for attachment by any suitable means to a chair or other article of furniture and having an upwardly extending arm 11 provided with a ball shaped bearing 12 engaging in a socket of an adjustable post or section indicated generally at 13. The upper end of the section 13 is also provided with a socket for receiving the ball shaped bearing 14 of an arm 15 constituting the upper section of the adjustable supporting structure or head rest attachment. The arm includes lateral branches 16 and 17, the spaced ends 18 and 19 of which form bearings for pivotally receiving a yoke like member 20 having upstanding portions 21 on which are pivotally supported the head rests 22 which may be of any suitable or preferred design.

The intermediate section 13 of the supporting structure comprises a bar 23 and upper and lower clamping bars 24 and 25 substantially paralleling the bar 23 with which they are connected at their outer ends by means of adjustable screw bolts 26. as best indicated in Fig. 3. These bolts are of a size slightly smaller than the openings therefor in the ends of the bar 23 whereby to permit the clamping bars 24 and 25 to have a certain amount of play in order that they may be swung to clamping position upon the bearings 13 and 14 by means hereinafter described. The screw bolts 26 are held in adjusted position within the threaded openings of the clamping bars by means of set screws 27, as indicated in Fig. 3. The clamping bars which form one. side of the supporting section 13 are in the form of levers arranged to fulcrum upon the bearings 13 and 14 when their adjacent ends are swung inwardly whereby to clamp the bearings within their sockets to hold the sections in different positions of adjustment. The inward movement of the lovers is, of course, aflected under the resistance of the bolts 26 which are placed under tension during the binding action on the parts afforded by moving the levers to clamping position, the bolts being adjusted to regulate the extent of movement of the levers and consequently the pressure exerted thereby upon the bearings to clamp the upper section 15 on the intermediate section 13 and the latter upon the arm 11 of the lower section or bracket 10. The inner ends of the lovers are spaced slightly apart and are provided with semi-circular portions 28 forming an opening for receiving a post or stud bolt 29 projecting outwardly through the opening and having its inner end suitably anchored upon the bar 23 preferably by being threaded therein. The clamping levers are provided at their adjacent ends with semicircular upstanding portions 30 upon which rests an annular member 31 through which the post 29 projects. A hand lever 32 is provided with spaced jaws at its inner end between which is disposed the flattened end 33 of the post 29 which is pivotally connected with the jaws by a pin 34- sccured in position in any suitable manner. The jaws of the lever are provided with cam portions 35 which, when the lever is being swung to the position shown in Fig. 1 will ride on the annular member 31 causing it to move inwardly upon the post under sufficient pressure to force the inner ends of the clamping levers toward the bar 23 whereby to afford the desired clamping action to secure the upper section 15 in adjusted position upon the intermediate section 13 and at the same time clamping the latter upon the bearing 12 of the bottom section or bracket 10.

The clamping lever 24 is yieldably held in frictional engagement with the bearing 14 by means of a spring 36 disposed within a pocket 37 of the lever through which projects a bolt 38 threaded into the bar 23, the spring surrounding the bolt and tending to urge the inner end of the lever toward the bar 23 whereby said members will exert a gripping action upon the bearing 14 ofthe arm 15 to frictionally hold the latter in adjusted position but not with sufficient force to prevent the operator from swinging the section 15 in a vertical plane to any desired position of adjustment when the hand lever 32 has been previously moved to release position.

The clamping lever 25 when released by the hand lever tends to spring outwardly and is limited in its movement by a bolt 39 extending through the lever and threaded into the bar 23, the bolt having a head 40 arranged to engage a shoulder 41 on the lever when the latter is sprung outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3.

The ball and socket joints between the sections are designed to permit the upper section to have a universal movement upon the intermediate section and the latter to have a universal movement upon the bottom section.

In addition to the mounting of the sections 13 and 15 for universal movement they are arranged for independent movement, each to swing forwardly or rearwardly, the section 15 about the tranverse axis of its bearing 14 and to section 13 about the transverse axis of its bearing 12, these swinging movements being affected only during such times as when the sections are to be held against universal IDOVQHIOHt, each by a locking detent 42 as best shown in Fig. 5 which is provided with a releasing device as hereinafter described.

Normally the sections occupy what may be termed a standard position as indicated in Fig.1, which is the position best suited .to the average conditions of usage. The section i which supports the head rests proper may be raised or lowered by swinging it about the transverse axis of itsbearing 14 without interfering with the holding detent 42 which must be manually released before universal movement of the section can be affected. Nowmanual release of any partis required before swinging the section 15 in a vertical plane to raise or lower the head rests 22, except the hand operated clamping lever 32. Adjustment of section 13 may likewise be affected 'g swinging it about the transverse axis of the bearing 12 without the manual release of any part except said hand lever which releases the clamping levers 24 and 25.

Indicating means hereinafter described g is provided for indicating when the sections 13 and 15 are in standard position as well as when they are swung in a vertical plane to a different position, this means being preferably combined with the holding Q5 detents for the sections which are shown 1n section in Fig. 3.

It will be understood that the set of detents shown in Fig. 3 for holding the sections in standard position are automatically released when pressure is exerted upon the sections to swing them in a vertical plane from said position and that they will automatically re-engage in the notches of their respective bearings when swung back to standard position.

Locking means is also provided for holding both the upper and intermediate sections against a swinging movement in one plane, as for example, against movement '46 to the right or left of the position shown in Fig. 2 while permitting said sections to swing forwardly or rearwardly toward or from the front of the chair, not shown, ,to which the head rest structure is attached. -In other words, the locking means does not prevent the sections each from swinging in one plane but does hold them against movement in a plane transverse to the first mentioned plane. However, when the locking means for either section is released the section is freed for universalmovement or movement in various different directions.

The locking means for each of the sections 13 and 15 being the same, a description of one will suflice for the other. This means is best indicated in Fig. 5 and comprises the locking pin or detent 42 slidably disposed within a pocket 43 of the ball-shaped hearing 12 or 14 as the case may be, the outer end of the pin being projected within a recess 45, Fig. 6, formed partly within the bar 23 and partly within the lever 25 in which the pin isurged by a spring 44 within the pocket 43, the walls of the recess 45a forming one or more abutments engaged by the pin to hold it in locking position. Means is provided for effecting manual release of the locking pin comprising an ele- 'ment 45 pivoted at 46 to operate between shaped hearings in any direction desired and when adjusted to the proper position the same may be locked by moving the hand lever 32 to operate the clamping parts 24 and 25 as above described, Thus, either the outer section 15 or the intermediate section 13 may be independently rotated or swung forwardly or rearwardly or to the right or left or in any direction desired upon release of the locking pin therefor.

In addition to the locking means just described, a detent is provided for each ball and socket joint whereby either the upper or intermediate section is temporarily held in standard position of adjustment when the clamping levers are in release position as stated above. These detents are indicated at 49 in Fig. 3 and serve to prevent dropping of the sections 13 and 15 under the action of gravity when released by the clamping means so that injury to the hands or arms of the operator or to any part of, the chair which might be struck by sections is'prevented. The detents are provided with stems 50 which function as an indicating means to be observed by the operator whereby he may readily determine whether or not the parts are in said normal position before releasing the clamping means. The detents are shown in normal holding position in Fig. 3 and the upper detent is shown in release position in Fig. 4. When the head rest sections are in normal position the detent 49 in each case takes into a recess 51 formed in the ball-shaped bearing 12 or 14, as the case may be, the wall of the recess forming an abutment for the detent 49 when the latter is operating within the recess. The detents are each-guided by a holder 52 in which is disposed a spring 53 for urging the detent to holding position, as shown in Fig. 3, the holders being secured in openings formed in the bar 23 in any suitable manner. In the standard position of the sections 13 and 15, the outer ends of the stems or plungers 50 are substantially flush with the ends of the hold ers 52, thereby indicating to the operator that said sections are in normal or standard position. When the plungers 50 project from the holders as shown in Fig. 4, they serve to indicate that the section or sections are not in standard position and that the operator should be careful to first grip the section, 13 or 15 as the case may be before releasing the clamping levers whereby to prevent dropping of the sections, as stated above. In the case of the up or section 15, the gripping and holding the same by the operator upon release of the clamping levers is not so important where the spring 36 is employed for the purpose of causing the lever 24 to grip the bearing 14 with suflicient force to hold the section against dropping by gravity should the detent 49 be out of the recess 51 as indicated in Fig. 4.

The arm rest 54 may be of any suitable size or shape and is mounted for rotation upon a spindle 55 extending from a bracket 56 having spaced jaws 57 disposed at opposite sides of an annular boss or lug 58 on the arm 16 of the head rest section 15. The bracket is pivotally connected with the boss by a pin 59, as indicated in Figs. 7 and 8. The bracket has a recess 60 formed therein for housing a latch 61 pivoted at 62 within the bracket and normally engaging a keeper 63 projecting into the recess from one of the bearings 64 upon which the yoke 20 is adapted to swing. The latch is held in locking position by a spring 65 engaging one end of a detent 66 slidable within an opening formed in the bracket, the detent having its outer end seated upon the peripheral portion of the annular boss-58 and exerting sufficient pressure upon the spring to hold the latch in locking position, as, indicated in Fig. 7. Release of the latch is readily ef-- fected by movement of an operating member 67 therefor which projects from the latch downwardly beneath the bracket through an opening therein. The arm rest when not in use may be swung to an out-ofthe-way position beneath the arm 16 of the head rest section 15 as shown in Fig. 8. The arm rest is held in this position by the detent 66 which projects into a recess 68 formed in the lug 58 where it is held by the spring 65 until released by upward movement of the arm rest, at which time the detent 66 will ride out of the recess 68. An

- abutment 69 on the bracket serves to limit the swinging of the latch by the spring 65. The pressure exerted by the spring is suf ticient to maintain the detent in locking position until released by the operator when it is desired to return the arm rest to the position shown in Fig. 7.

The arm rest 54 is arranged to be easily removed from or inserted upon the spindle 55 and comprises two sections 70 and 71 shaped in cross section as indicated in Figs. 10 and 11. The sections are preferably formed of metal and each has on its inner face a pair of laterally projecting lugs 72. The lugs are bored to receive the spindle 55, the latter when projected through the lugs serving to hold and bind the sections together as shown in Fig. 11. The sections are recessed at 73 to accommodate themselves to the spindle and to form openings to permit the arm rest to be inserted upon the spindle by an endwise movement in the direction of the head rest- The sections are hinged together by a leather or other flexible cover 74 having its edges folded under at 75 to afford the desired finish and its ends 76 suitably secured upon the sections so as not to be exposed to View when the arm rest is in position upon the spindle as shown in Figs. 1 and 11. The folded-edges 75 are preferably disposed in grooves 75 formed in the sections 70 and 71. The ends 76 of the cover are preferably secured to the sections by pins 77 but other suitable fastening means may be provided if desired. The Width of the leather covering 74 is somewhat less than the length of the sections and the latter are slightly recessed on their outer faces inorder that the covering will be substantially flush with the projecting end portions 78 of the sections. The outer end portion 7 8 of the section 70 has threaded therein a small screw 79, Fig. 10, which is provided with a reduced portion 80 arranged to take into an annular groove 81 formed in the outer end of the spindle whereby the arm rest, while being free to rotate upon the spindle is prevented from being withdrawn therefrom. To remove the armrest it is only necessary to adjust the screw 79 until the portion 80 thereof is withdrawn from the groove 81. The outer rounded end 55 of the spindle facilitates the insertion of the arm rest upon the spindle and since the bores of the lugs 72 are in alignment no trouble is experienced in inserting the arm rest proper upon the spindle.

I claim:

1. In a head rest structure, the combination of a pair of connected sections, one having a bearing thereon and the other comprising a support having a clamping lever substantially paralleling the support and connected therewith for movement relative thereto, said support and lever having a socket in which the bearing is disposed, the bearing forming a fulcrum for the lever, manually operable means for urging the le ver to clamping position upon the bearing, yieldable means arranged to constantly urge the lever towards the support when said operating means is moved to release position whereby the sections will be frictionally held against movement by gravity upon release of the operating means, locking means for the sections including a detent located within the bearing and normally projecting within a recess in the wall forming the socket for the bearing, and a member movable within said recess in the direction of the bearing to release said detent.

apair of clamping levers at one side of the support having their inner ends terminating one ad'acent another, the outer ends of the levers eing connected with the support for movement relative thereto, said support and levers having sockets in which said bearings are disposed, a manually operable member for moving both levers to clamping position upon the bearings, locking means interposed between the bearin of one of the sections and the wall of t e intermediate section forming the socket for said bearing, and

releasing means for said locking means movable relative to the latter and operable through an opening in said socket forming wall.

3. In a head rest structure, the combination of'a pair of relatively movable sections, one provided with a socket and the other. having a bearing within the socket, releasable holding means for the sections disposed within the bearing and arranged to lock said sections in a predetermined position of adjustment and a manually operable member accessible from'the exterior of the socket arranged for movement relative to said holding means to effect release of the holding means.

4:. In a head rest structure, the combination of a pair of adjustable sections, one

, provided with a socket-and the other having a hearing within the socket whereby to permit relative movement of the sections, holding means for the sections comprising a part held within the bearing arranged in one osition of the sections to project from the bearing into .locking engagement with the section in which the socket is formed and manually operable means movable relative to said part accessible from the exterior of the sections for moving said part to release position within the bearing.

5 In a head rest structure, the combination of a pair of relatively movable head rest supporting sections having a ball and socket connection, said socket section having one or more abutments on the wall thereof, a spring pressed locking pin disposed within a recess formed in the ball and arranged to cooperate with said abutments to lock said sections against relative movement and.

means operable through an opening in said wall for releasing said pin by inward movement thereof within said recess.

6. In a head rest structure, the combination of a pair of relatively movable headre'st supporting sections having a ball and socket connection, said socket section having one or more abutments on the wall thereof a spring pressed locking pin disposed within recess formed in the ball and arranged to cooperate with said abutments to lock said sections against relative movement in one direction while permitting relative movement in a different direction, means operable through an opening in said wall for releasing said pin by movement thereof within said recess and means independent of said locking pin for frictionall holding said sections in a predetermine position of adjustment, said last mentioned means being automatically released by movement of one section relative to another while saidf pin is in looking position.

7. In a head rest structure, the combination of apair of relatively movable head rest supporting sections, one provided with a socket and the other having a bearing within the socket, said bearing and socket permitting movement of one section relative to another in different planes, releasable locking means interposed between the bearing and socket for holding said movable section against operation in one plane while permitting it to move in a different plane and releasable holding means for normally maintaining the movable section in a predetermined position with respect to the other section and permitting it to move in said different plane while the locking means is in operative position. I

8i In a head rest structure, the combination of a pair of relatively movable head rest supporting sections, one comprising adjustable parts having a socket formed therein and the other having a hearing within the socket, said bearing and socket permitting movement of one section relative to another in different planes, releasable looking means interposed between the bearing and socket for holding said movable section against operation in one plane while permitting it to move in another plane and means for clamping said adjustable parts upon the bearing.

9. In a head rest structure, the combination of a pair of relatively movable head rest supporting sections, one comprising adjustable parts having a socket formed therein and the other having a bearing within the socket, said bearing and socket permitting movement of one section relative to another in different planes, releasable locking means interposed between the bearing andv socket wall for holding said movable section against operation in one plane while permitting it to move in a difierent plane, releasable holding means for normally maintaining the movable section in a predetermined position with respect to the other section and permitting it to move in said different plane while the locking means is in operative po- 7 8 ama porting sections, one comprising relatively movable parts provided with a socket and the other having a bearing within the socket operating means for moving one of said parts relative to the other to clamp the bearing therebetween and releasable holding means for the sections comprising relatively movable parts located one within the socket section and another within the bearing and arranged to lock said sections in a predetermined position of adjustment when said operating means is released the part within the socket section being operable to release the part within the bearing. I

11. In a head rest structure, the combination of a pair of relatively movable head rest supporting sections, one provided with a socket and the other having a bearing within the socket, releasable means cooperating with said bearing and socket for holding said sections in a predetermined relationship and indicating means comprising a spring pressed member interposed between the bearing and socket sections arranged to be auto- 25 matically operated by the bearing upon movement of one section upon another whereby to indicate when the sections are in predetermined positions of adjustment.

12. In a head rest structure, the combina- 30 tion of a pair of relatively movable head rest supporting sections, one having clamping portions provided with a socket and the other having a bearing within the socket, said bearing having an abutment thereon 11:. and one of said socket portions having an opening therethrough, a member for indicating when said sections are in different positions of adjustment,.said member projecting into said opening and engaging the abut- 4u ment of the bearing when the sections are in one position of adjustment and arranged upon movement of one section to a different position of adjustment to be automatically moved by the bearing within the opening 45 whereby to indicate a change in the relative positions of the sections, and means for clamping said portions upon the bearing.

13. In a head rest structure, the combination of a pair of relatively movable sections, so one provided with a socket and the other having a hearing within the socket, said bearing and socket permitting movement of one section relative to another in different planes, releasable locking means interposed '5 between the bearing and socket for holding said movable section against operation in one plane while permitting it to move in another plane, and an indicating device in- Y terposed between the bearing and socket W including a part arranged to be actuated by one of the sections during operation of the movable section in one of said planes whereby to indicate when the sections are in relatively different positions.

" v ADAM J. MAY. 

